Anusol is a treatment for haemorrhoids (piles) and related anal discomfort. The version currently registered in South Africa is Anusol Pain Relief, an ointment containing pramoxine, a local anaesthetic. It numbs and soothes; it does not shrink piles or address why they developed.
What is Anusol?
The South African Medicine Price Registry lists one product under this name:
| Product | Schedule | Form | Contains |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anusol Pain Relief (formerly Anugesic) | S1 | Ointment | Pramoxine hydrochloride 10 mg/g |
Schedule 1 means it is available from a pharmacy without a prescription.
Pramoxine is a local anaesthetic. It blocks nerve signals in the skin and lining it is applied to, so pain, burning and itching are dulled. It works within minutes and lasts a few hours.
Two things follow from that, and they define the product:
It is symptom relief. Numbing the area does not shrink a haemorrhoid, reduce inflammation, or stop bleeding. It makes an uncomfortable few days bearable while the problem settles.
Anusol products vary between countries and over time. Formulations elsewhere include zinc oxide, bismuth salts or hydrocortisone, and the range has changed over the years — the register itself notes this one was previously called Anugesic. Read your own tube, because a product containing a steroid has different rules from one containing only a local anaesthetic.
Some products in this family come with an applicator for internal use. If yours does, use it as directed; if it does not, the ointment is for external application.
What is Anusol commonly used for?
- Haemorrhoids (piles) — internal and external, for pain, itching and burning.
- Anal itching (pruritus ani).
- Anal fissure discomfort, for symptom relief alongside proper treatment.
- Soreness after childbirth, where haemorrhoids are extremely common.
- Discomfort after anal surgery, on medical advice.
- General anal irritation.
What actually resolves haemorrhoids is not in the tube. Piles are usually driven by straining and constipation, and the treatments that make a lasting difference are unglamorous:
- More fibre and more water, so stools are soft and pass without straining.
- Not straining, and not sitting on the toilet for long periods — reading or scrolling on the toilet is a genuine contributor.
- Going when you need to, rather than delaying.
- A stool softener or bulk laxative if needed.
- Regular activity.
An ointment that numbs the pain while the straining continues manages the symptom and sustains the cause. Used together — the ointment for comfort, the fibre and fluid for the problem — most haemorrhoids settle within a week or two.
How Anusol fits into this medicine category
| Group | Examples | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Local anaesthetic preparations | Pramoxine (Anusol Pain Relief), lidocaine ointments | Numb pain, itching and burning |
| Astringents and barriers | Zinc oxide, bismuth preparations | Soothe and protect the skin surface |
| Steroid-containing preparations | Hydrocortisone combinations | Reduce inflammation; short courses only |
| Bulk-forming laxatives | Ispaghula, methylcellulose | Soften stool — treat the underlying cause |
| Osmotic laxatives | Lactulose, macrogol | Same purpose, different mechanism |
| Antispasmodics | Hyoscine (Hyospasmol) | Gut cramping, unrelated to piles |
For a persistent problem, a doctor can also offer procedures — banding, sclerotherapy or surgery — that ointments cannot match. See the digestive and stomach medicines hub, which also covers metoclopramide (Adco-Contromet) and other gut medicines.
What to check before using Anusol
Do not assume rectal bleeding is haemorrhoids. This is the most important point on the page. Piles are the commonest cause of bleeding from the back passage — and they are not the only one. Bowel cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, polyps and fissures all cause bleeding, and treating it with an ointment because it looks like piles is how serious conditions are missed.
Any rectal bleeding should be assessed by a doctor at least once, particularly if you are over 40, if it is new, if it comes with a change in bowel habit, weight loss or abdominal pain, or if it does not settle.
Also speak to a pharmacist or doctor if you:
- Have had a previous reaction to a local anaesthetic.
- Have broken, weeping or infected skin in the area.
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding. Haemorrhoids are very common in pregnancy and after birth, and there are suitable options — check which.
- Are treating a child.
- Have diabetes or reduced immunity, where infections are more likely.
- Have symptoms that have not improved after a week of treatment.
Using it:
- Wash and dry the area gently first — pat, do not rub.
- Apply a small amount as directed, usually after a bowel movement and at bedtime.
- Wash your hands before and after.
- Do not use it for more than about a week continuously without advice.
- Do not share the tube.
- Avoid scented soaps, wet wipes and vigorous wiping, all of which make anal itching worse.
Possible cautions and when to ask a pharmacist or doctor
Side effects are usually mild and local: stinging, burning, irritation or a rash where applied.
Stop and seek advice if the area becomes more irritated, red or itchy after use — sensitivity to local anaesthetics is uncommon but recognised, and can look like the original problem worsening.
Get emergency help for swelling of the face, lips or tongue, or difficulty breathing.
See a doctor — do not simply continue treating — if:
- There is any rectal bleeding, especially if new, persistent, mixed into the stool, or dark.
- You have a change in bowel habit lasting more than a few weeks.
- There is unexplained weight loss, tiredness, or abdominal pain.
- Pain is severe, particularly a sharp tearing pain on passing stool, which suggests a fissure.
- A haemorrhoid becomes hard, very painful and swollen — a thrombosed pile, which is treatable and most treatable early.
- There is pus, fever, or spreading redness — a possible abscess, which needs urgent attention.
- Symptoms have not improved in a week, or keep returning.
- You have a family history of bowel cancer, or are due for bowel screening.
Related medicine guides
Frequently asked questions
What is Anusol ointment used for? Relieving the pain, itching and burning of haemorrhoids, anal itching and anal fissures. The registered South African product contains pramoxine, a local anaesthetic.
Are there Anusol tablets? No. This is an ointment applied to the affected area. Searches for tablets usually mean a different product — check your pack.
Does it cure piles? No. It numbs the discomfort. Piles usually settle with more fibre, more fluid and avoiding straining.
How quickly does it work? Within minutes, lasting a few hours.
How long can I use it? About a week. If symptoms persist beyond that, see a doctor.
Can I use it in pregnancy? Haemorrhoids are very common in pregnancy and after childbirth. Ask a pharmacist or midwife which product is suitable for you.
Is bleeding normal with piles? Piles commonly bleed, but bleeding should be assessed by a doctor at least once — other conditions cause it too, and they need excluding.
What else helps? Fibre, fluid, not straining, not sitting long on the toilet, and gentle cleaning without scented wipes.